t h e m a y f i l e s is foremost a family blog, chronicling everyday life. Life including natural, healthy eating (with recipes thrown in at random), home educating (with ideas popping up sporadically), an attempt to homestead on .2 acres (with very meager yields), raising 3 of 4 children with a rare genetic disorder, and lots of highly personal family triumphs and failures. You may also find an eclectic array of musings on politics, exercise, sewing, emergency preparedness, backyard chickens, and religion. This blog isn't a campaign to glorify anyone or anything. Just simply a record.

7.30.2008

Tri-Triumph-Tragedy

Headed off to for the 10K run.

Back from the spudman, and now in California! Results: I definitely didn't win but I did end up with a PR (2:21)! I beat my time by over 5 minutes. I have to feel good about that. I still have a lot of room for improvement. I ended up in sixth place in my division and top 20 overall for the women.

Me with my littlest fan in the wee hours of the morning before the race.

A couple things to think about:

Panic Attack--The very first leg is a swim. I was extra cold for some reason. I am about 1 of 10 people out of 2,500 who don't wear a wetsuit The race started in the river, and I had panic attack. It has never happened to me before. My heart started racing, a felt like I couldn't get a breath. I thought I was going to have to quit, and swim to the shore. I don't scare easily. I was afraid. I did the breast-stroke with my head above water for probably 5 minutes. After that time period I felt like I had some control. I swam a couple strokes and then breast-stroke. I just kept thinking...make it to the end of the swim....it's just 1 mile...I got out of the water and I actually felt okay. So I went for it.


Drowning--At the end of the race, I was made aware of a tragedy just minutes after my swim. In the following heat a man drowned. The race had to be stopped as they searched for the body. He was swimming; called for help; raised his hand, and went under. The women beside him could not get to him fast enough. Neither could the safety boats. A 50-something man...in great condition. Life is so tenuous. At any moment we could lose it. Or someone we love.


This is the "tri-kids on the block" crew. My neighbors and I.

(On the right and left, their heat the swim was canceled after the drowning. My neighbor was in a panic because her husband was in the heat following mine where the drowning occurred. She ran to the transition and found some peace to see his bike gone.)

A big thanks to my husband for his support. And to my mom and dad. They took the girls camping. I can't believe how brave they are. Brent and I haven't even attempted that. They were extremely dirty and tired but had a blast.

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